State Reform Profile
Louisiana
Louisiana has the world's highest incarceration rate. HB 249 in 2017 was the most comprehensive reform in state history.
Key Statistics
Incarceration by Race
Incarceration rate per 100,000 residents. Racial estimates based on BJS/Sentencing Project methodology.
Recidivism Rate
Percent of people reincarcerated within 3 years of release. Source: BJS recidivism data series.
Cost vs. Alternatives
Active & Passed Reforms
3 initiativesHB 249 – Justice Reinvestment ActView full details →
10-bill package reducing incarceration for non-violent offenses. Cut prison pop by 10%.
Amendment 2 – Unanimous JuryView full details →
Required unanimous jury verdicts, ending a Jim Crow-era loophole.
R.S. 44:9 – Expungement ReformView full details →
Expanded expungement eligibility and reduced waiting periods.
Data Sources & Methodology
Reform data sourced from state legislative records, BJS Criminal Justice Statistics, the Vera Institute Incarceration Trends dataset, and The Sentencing Project. AltReform prediction scores (0,100) are generated by our ML model trained on 20+ years of state-level reform outcomes, weighting recidivism reduction, racial equity impact, cost-effectiveness, and political feasibility. Statistics are the most recent available (2021,2024).
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